Awning.



PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903. G. W. MONROE.

. AWNING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15, 1902.

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PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.,

0. W. MONROE.

I AWNING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEETI 2.

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UNTTED STATES 'IJPatented November 24, 1903.

PATENT @EETEE.

CHARLES WV. MONROE, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO WILLIAM J. BAUGHMAN, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHU- SETTS, AND W'ILLIAM MCKINLEY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

AWNING.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,971, dated November 24, 1903.

Application filed August 15, 1902. Serial No. 11 9,748. (No model.) I

To 601% whom it may concern.

Be it known that '1, CHARLES W. MONROE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsfield, in the county of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new Improvement in Awnings, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to awnings for store fronts, windows, doors, &c.; and it consists of the novel features of construction, arrangements, and combinations of parts and devices hereinafter described, and set forth in the claims.

The objects and advantages of this inven- [5 tion will be fully understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in two sheets, forming this specification, in Which Figure 1 is an elevation showing an awn- 2o ing embodying the improvements in this invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the awning-frame from its front side with the awning-cloth removed. Fig. 3 is a horizontal view taken at linel in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 isa perspective view of 2 5 the awning-roller (a section thereof) and a section oftho inclined front portion of the awning-cloth and asection of a side proportion of the same and illustrating novel elements embodied with the same. Fig. 5 is a view of a vertical way and a supporting-bracket of the same. Fig. 6 is a section illustrating the same. Fig. 7 is a plan of the same. Fig. 8 is a side view of the lower vertical sliding sleeve employed with the vertical way; Fig. 9, a hori- 5 zontal view of the same with part in section. Fig. 10 is a plan of a stop-sleeve employed with the vertical way. Fig. 11 is a side view of the same.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, A A are vertical ways made of iron or steel, preferably with a square form in its cross area. These ways A are suitably supported by head-bracket A and 5 foot-bracket A which are rigidly secured to vertical posts or other fixed vertical pieces or parts B of the building at the sides of the store-front or door-opening or window-opening which the awning is intended to screen.

The said brackets A A may be substantially the same in their form of construction, but are secured in place with the socket end of the former open downward and that of the latter open upward. The foot'bracket A is secured in place at a point below the pivotal connection of the frame 0 to the vertical. ways when said frame is in horizontal position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

D D are vertical sliding sleeves having perforation d of form and size corresponding with that of the ways A, which they receive so nicely as to allow them to be freely moved vertically on said ways. These sleeves D are provided each with a suitable pivot-ear d, on which is pivoted the framecoupling device E by its ear 6, which is preferably made integral with the socket portion 6 of said device E.

The awning-frame O is made with size and proportions of its parts or members 0 c and c as the size and service of the awning may require, and said parts or members may be made of solid bar-iron or of tubular bars or pieces suitably connected by tubular form coupling-pieces, as practiced by the trade for joining tubes. The side inemberscc of frame 0, which are loosely coupled with the vertical sliding sleeves D, are made with length of extension outward from the vertical Ways preferred, while the front member 0 is made with a length corresponding with the dis-' tance the ways A A are apart.

F F are suspenders which are adapted'to loosely connectthe side members 0 c of the frame 0 with the vertical ways A A, r-espectively, so that the pivoted ends of said side members 0 0 may be suitably supported against movement downward while said suspenders are in inclined position asshowhdn Fig. 1. The upper ends or ag suspenders 0 F are respectively piygi d b ivot g to vertical sliding sleeve 1?, which loosely receive the pp P .rtion of said vertical ways and are from dropping below their Preferred P It of location on said ways by 5 means of st leeves G, which latter have their p fy tions 9 receiving said ways A of size torm, corresponding with size and form of said ways in their cross area. These ll }ieeves G may be freely moved either the store-front or opening of the way vertically on said ways and be secured in place thereon and against the lower end of the respective sliding sleeves F by means of set-screws 9 The lower ends of these 5 suspenders F, respectively, are pivoted to the side members 0 c of frame C by means of a loose coupling link or device G, provided with suitable pivot-ears 9 which pivot on earf, provided with the lower ends of said suspenders.

Stop-sleeves H, similar to stop-sleeves G, provided, respectively, with set-screws h, are provided on the ways A, respectively above the vertical sliding sleeves D, and are adapted to be moved in either direction thereon and to a bearing on the upper ends of said sleeves D and be secured in place thereat by its set-screw h, when said stop-sleeves H will hold sliding sleeves D from moving upward on vertical ways A and at the same time allow said sleeves D to move downward as occasion may require.

By means of the above-described devices the vertical Ways A, vertical sleeves D, framecoupling devices E, suspenders F, vertical sliding sleeves F, stop-sleeves G and H and the respective adjuncts of said parts, and the frame 0 may be made with any preferred length of outward extension from the building-front or doorway or window-opening and be strongly connected with said vertical ways at two points therein and also be adapted to be readily folded up from ahorizonial position to a vertical one, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and also allow the awningcloth I to have a greater or less incline and also outward extension from the building, as may be preferred or as the height of the opening or front to be screened may admit.

R is the awning-cloth roller made of suitable material, which may be wood for light window-awnings or be of iron or steel tube for store-front awnings or doorawnings, as

- may be preferred. This roller is supported 45 from the store-frontor from the upper horizontal portion of the casing ofa window or adoorway by suitable brackets R, securely fixed in place by means of screws or their known equivalents, the roller being provided at its outer ends with suitablejournals R securely fixed with the respective ends of the roller, so as to revolve with the same from bearings 1', provided in said brackets. At one end of this roller R is provided a suitable wheel J for revolving the same. This wheel may be secured to the roller itself or to a journal of the same,

. ,..-wasmay be preferred or found to be convenient.

Secured also tedrqller R, at near each end thereof, are disks I IOI guiding the awning 60 front cloth I when beingu' p p i roller. I also provide a Second Wheel mounted on a suitable shaft J which is P- ported in bearings j, r id dxiu a suitable bracket J secured to a fixed sidd p h d or or win- ,dow to be screened by the awning This geared wi\' the second wheel J is suitably wheel J by means of an endless cord j or chain of suitable construction as in common use for imparting motion from one wheel to another distant therefrom. The drawings show a drivingband connecting wheel J on the roller R with the driving-wheel J, yet, if desired, the usual chain may be employed in connection with sprocket-wheels when the awning is of large size or heavy. The second wheel, or driving-wheel J, is provided with a suitable crank J which is preferably made to be removable at pleasure. This crank may be applied to the outer end of the shaft J as shown in Fig. 1, or may be applied to an inwardly-extended portion j of the shaft, (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1,) which extended portion in such case will be extended so as to pass through the material of the easing or other portion of the structure to the inside, so as to be revolved by the crank with the same effect and for the same purpose of I I is the main awning-cloth,which is secured by its upper edge margin to roller R by any suitable means and is extended forward and downward to the front member 0' of the awning-frame C, to which it is suitably secured. Side-closing pieces I (but one side piece is shown) are provided for closing the sides of the awning from the main 'awningcloth I down to or near to the horizontal side members c c of the frame. In Fig. 1 one of these side pieces, a duplicate of the other, is shown. These side pieces may be made as commonly constructed of several widths of fabric secured together bystitchings,asgenerallypracticed, with the pieces running vertically. My preferred form of construction of these side pieces I is shown in Fig. 1 to embodya section comprising two or more pieces 1' of fabric running vertically down from the main awningcloth I toward the side members of the frame 0 and secured together by stitchings and one or more sections t", which are run diagonally from the main awning-cloth in inclined lines toward the vertical Ways A and are secured to each otherwith lap-seams i bystitchings, as practiced in joining widths of sail-canvas in sails, and are suitably secured by their upper ends tothe main awning-cloth by stitching and to the adjoining piece 2' also by stitchings. These lap-seams 01 form an important element in these side pieces I, as they contribute to guide the fabric of the said pieces I when being folded against the main cloth and operate to deliver the same to the latter smoothly on its lower side when being rolled up.

Secured to the upper corner i of end section 1 is a strip of thin flexible material, which may be of copper or soft iron or other metal or alloy or woven fabric which is adapted to yield under slight pressure so as to conform to the curvature of the roller. This thin strip of flexible material I term the foldstarter K, which is shown in Fig. 4 to be secured to the corner portion 11 of upper sec tion of the side piece I by having its lower end secured to a strengthening-strip t, secured to the edge margin i as shown. This fold-starter K extends from its fastened end 7.: to over the roller in a relatively oblique line and has its opposite end K secured to the roller E, Fig. 4. \Vhen the revolving of roller R is commenced for rolling up the main awning-cloth I and side pieces 1 this foldstarter will be first pulled on and be made to transfer this pull to the corner portion 2' of section I, and thereby lift the same and start the folding of the side piece against the lower side of the main cloth, when, the revolving of said roller being continued, the side piece will be progressively drawn against the lower side of the main cloth, when it and the main cloth will be brought flat together and both be smoothly wound on the roller.

When the roller R is started in its revolution for rolling up the awning-cloths, both main and side pieces, the pull of the roller through the said awning-cloths will be transferred to the front member 0 of the awningframe, and the latter will be gradually raised from a horizontal position to vertical, the frame turning on the pivots of the frameconpling device E, which are pivoted on sliding sleeves D by pivots 6 In this upward folding of the awning-frame G the suspenders F will be forced endwise to slide on ways A upward and away from the upper stop-sleeve G, when the upward movement of said suspenders will be stopped. At the same time the awning-frame is being turned upward and the suspenders F are being moved upward the coupling-link G, pivoted on the lower ends of said suspenders, will be made to slide on the side members 0 c of the frame toward the vertical ways A, and when the upward movement of the suspenders F ceases the sliding sleeve D will be moved downward on vertical ways A toward the foot-bracket A when the awning-frame G will be folded up to a vertical position and parallel to said Ways, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, when the awning-cloth will be rolled up on its roller R, with the awning-frame 0 standing vertical and right to the vertical ways A.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In awning-supporting mechanism, fixed ways, an awning-frame having sliding connection with said ways, and suspender-rods for supporting-frame, said rods having a sliding connection with the ways and with the awning-frame.

An awning-supporting mechanism comprising fixed ways, an awning-frame having a sliding connection with said ways, a sleeve sliding on each way, sleeves sliding on the awning-frame, and suspender-rods connecting the sleeves on the ways with the sleeves on the frame.

3. An awning-supporting mechanism comprising fixed ways, an awning-frame having a sliding connection with the ways, a sleeve sliding on each way, sleeves sliding on the awning-frame, and Suspender-rods pivotally connected to the sleeves-on the ways and the sleeves on the awning-frame.

4. In an awning, a roller, a frame adapted ,to be folded upward, a main awning-cloth secured to said roller, a side-closing awningpiece, and means for automatically closing said side piece against the main awning-cloth as the latter is rolled upon the roller.

5. In an awning, a roller, a frame adapted to be folded upward, a main awning-cloth secured to said roller, duplicate side-closing awning-pieces, and means for automatically folding said pieces against the main awningcloth as the latter is rolled upon the roller.

6. In an awning, a roller, a frame adapted to be folded upward, a main awning-cloth secured to said roller, a side-closing awningpiece adapted to be folded against the main cloth as the latter is rolled on the roller, and

means for automatically starting said folding I of the side-closing piece.

7. In an awning, a roller, a frame adapted to be folded upward, a main awning-cloth secured to said roller, a side-closing awningpiece adapted to be folded against the main cloth as the latteris rolled on the roller, means for automatically starting said folding of the side-closing-piece, and means for preserving such folding of the sideclosing piece during the rolling operation.

8. In an awning, a roller, a frame adapted to be folded upward, a main awning-cloth secured to said roller, side -.closing awningpieces, means for automatically folding said pieces against the main awning-cloth as the latter is rolled on the roller, and means for automatically starting such folding of the side-closing pieces.

9. In an awning, a roller, a frame adapted to be folded upward, a main awning-cloth secured to said roller, side closing awningpieces, means for automatically folding said pieces against the main awning-cloth as the latter is rolled on the roller, means for automatically starting such folding of the sideclosing pieces, and means for preserving the folding of said side-closing pieces during the rolling operation.

10. In an awning-supporting mechanism, the combination with two vertical ways,adapt' ed to be secured to a fixed vertical portion of a structure to be screened by an awning, a lower sliding sleeve mounted on each of said ways, and adapted to be moved vertically on the same, an upper sliding sleeve mounted on i the upper portions of each of said ways, an adjustable sleeve-stop on each of said ways, and adapted to be set near the upper end of the lower sliding-sleeve, a second adjustable sleeve-stop on each of the respective ways and adapted to be set against the lower end of the upper sliding sleeve, of an awning-frame having the rearward ends of the side members thereof pivoted on said lower sliding sleeve, suspenders Having their respective upper ends pivoted on saidupper sliding sleeves, and the lower ends pivoted on a sliding link provided on the respective side members of the frame.

11. In an awning-supporting mechanism, the combination with two vertical ways suitably supported from fixed vertical parts or portions of astructure, sliding sleeves mounted on said ways, and an awning-frame pivoted by the rear ends of its side members to the respective sliding sleeves, of two second sliding sleeves mounted respectively on the upper end portions of said vertical ways, a movable coupling-link mounted on each of the respective side members of said awningframe, suspenders between the second sliding sleeves, on the Vertical ways, and the said movable coupling-links, on said side members, and pivots jointing the respective ends of said suspenders on the said second sliding sleeves and said links.

12. The combination with vertical ways A, an awning-frame,lowerslidingsleeves mounted on said ways and pivoted to the rear ends of the side members of said frame, upper sliding sleeves also mounted on said ways, suspenders arranged between said upper sliding sleeves, and movable links, and piv oted on the same, adjustable sleeve-stops on each of said ways and between the two sliding sleeves mounted on each of the latter, of an awning-cloth roller, brackets supporting the said roller from journals provided at their respective ends, mechanism adapted to revolve said roller in suitable direction, and an mat awningcloth having one of its edge margins secured to said roller and its opposite edge margin secured to the front member of said awning-frame.

13. In an awning, the combination with a roller adapted to be revolved in either direction, an awning-frame adapted to be folded up from a horizontal position to vertical, of a main awning-cloth extended from said roller to the front member of said frame and secured by its respective edge margins to the same, vertical side pieces secured to the side edges of said awning-cloth, and depending from the same, and having in them one or more sections I which run relatively diagonal from the main awning-cloth, and are united by stitched lap-seams, and are adapted to be folded against the lower side of the said awning-cloth, and mechanism adapted to revolve said roller.

14. In an awning, the combination with a roller adapted to be revolved in either direction, a frame adapted to be folded upward from a horizontal position to vertical, a main awning-cloth secured by one of its edge margins to said roller and by its opposite edge margin to the said frame, and side-closing pieces adapted to be folded against the lower side of said main awning-cloth, of thin flexible strip-form fold-starters K secured respectively to the corner portion 2' of each sideclosing piece, and running obliquely therefrom to the roller and wound part of a turn on each end portion of the same, and having its end secured therewith, and mechanism adapted to revolve said roller.

CHARLES W. MONROE. 

